CLEVELAND Golf Club’s new head greenkeeper Ian Pemberton is a man on a mission.

Ian, who lives in Marton, has moved from Bedale GC to take the reins at the Redcar-based club – the only true links course in Yorkshire.

And Ian plans to help restore Cleveland’s reputation as a first-class test of golf.

He said: “Cleveland had a tremendous reputation and is still regarded as one of the great tests of golf in the region.

“But I think it’s fair to say that it is not fulfilling its potential at the moment.

“The challenge is to make Cleveland one of the very best courses in the region.

“We can achieve a lot more here. The basics are already in place we just need to get it up to speed.

“You are always judged by the quality of your greens but the fairways are also important.

“We’ll also be looking at improving the overall aesthetics. This is the oldest club in Yorkshire, after all, and it deserves to look and play its best.”

But Ian, who began his career at nearby Brass Castle on a YTS scheme in the 1980s and also spent six years at Saltburn, will have to work fast as Cleveland has some high-profile events planned for 2007, including hosting one of the most prestigious amateur events in the UK, the English Golf Union Pairs County Finals.

And Cleveland has also lined up a major international championship as well as a big regional professional event.

It’s an exciting time for the club, whose teams will once again take part in the Teesside Union and Yorkshire Union competitions, putting the course under further competitive stress.

The highlight of the year, though, will be when the three-day EGU Pairs finals are staged on the Redcar links from September 28 to 30.